the first girl
by hopeintheproles
Summary: The windows are down in the car she has temporarily stolen from her mother and Betty is finally starting to feel good, at ease, for the first time in months.


When I say that she was the greatest,

I mean that she resembled a circus.

She was not brightly colored,

Nor was she composed

Of three rings, but

Under a tent in the middle of

A starlit field

On a summer night,

You could see her

In just a t-shirt

And forget how unhappy

The elephants were.

-Rob Macdonald

The windows are down in the car she has temporarily stolen from her mother and Betty is finally starting to feel good, at ease, for the first time in months. She has Polly at her side, who is staring dreamily out the window with a small smile on her face. Her hand resting protectively over her stomach. And there is Jughead, in the back seat, looking grimly out the window his face set in its usual solemn, serious manner.

As Betty cruises down I-5 heading south she marvels at the state of events that have unfolded that has led them all here. There is no doubt in her mind that everything could have fallen apart. Her mother could have found them out, Cheryl could have let something slip, even Sherriff Keller could have snooped and discovered their plot. But now there is nothing standing in their way to get Polly the freedom she so desperately deserves.

"Are you still sure about this Polly?" Betty asks, interrupting the tranquil peace that has taken over the car. The sounds of cars whizzing by on the highway is the only noise between them.

Polly grins widely before grasping onto Betty's shoulder and giving it an affectionate squeeze.

"More than ever. I can't thank you enough Betty for making this all happen. I'd be so lost without you."

Betty smiles in relief, her sister's approval the only solace she needs to feel at peace with her decision to lie to everybody and sneak behind their backs. She has an unborn niece or nephew she has to look out for, it is not just her and her sister against the world anymore.

Betty turns her attention back to the road, they are somewhere in Oregon. More than halfway to their journey and the afternoon sun beats down on them.

"You know I'd do whatever it takes to make sure the both of you are okay. I can't wait to meet my little nephew or niece."

Polly laughs, the sound twinkles in the small space of the car, "I've told you time and time again. It's going to be a boy, I can feel it. Mother's intuition."

In the rearview mirror Betty can see Jughead smirking to himself, wanting to say something snarky but holding back. Betty assumes he probably wants to bet on it, put her intuition to good use.

"Nothing's set in stone, Pol. Could be a little red-haired girl. Or blonde girl."

Polly sighs a little before she stares out the window again, "So long as the baby is healthy, I'll be happy. I just wish Jason could have met his child,"

Betty smiles sadly before the clicking sound of the turn signal fills the car.

"I know, Polly."

It's been a long road for Betty, trying to figure out how to keep Polly and the baby safe. Her mother and father are of no use, and Polly had been dead set on having the support of the Blossom family behind her, until Cheryl had revealed they had their own nefarious intentions all along that didn't have Polly in the picture at all. But at the very least there was money there, and that was where Cheryl came in.

Cheryl hadn't been a fan of Polly or Betty, that wasn't a secret, but she was her brother's biggest champion, and knowing that Polly was pregnant with his child had put a white flag on any and all past issues. With only Polly, Cheryl, Betty and Jughead in on the secret they had put together a plan, however haphazard it might have been it was their only option with their respective parents proving to be more Manson family than Norman Rockwell.

With Polly's advancing pregnancy the time was running out to secure Polly somewhere safe. But in the meantime they all had to play dumb, going along with both what the Blossom family wanted and the Cooper's in order to save face and buy them all time without anyone sneaking looks over their shoulders.

It had been a long excommunicated member of the family that Jason had told her they could trust. Years ago she had been a cousin to Mrs. Blossom, but one way or another the two had lost contact, the former no longer fitting into the diamond's and socialite lifestyle that had followed soon after her advantageous marriage to Clifford Blossom. They lived in California, near Yreka, and had a small farm. Jason had told her it was the only place they could go to start their new lives, where they could live for free and raise the baby while they tried to figure out the next step of their lives. But now Polly was one less person in the plan, and time was running out.

Cheryl had stowed money away, small amounts at a time, not enough to grab the attention of her parents. She knew where they kept stashes of money, and if she was lucky, they'd be drunk enough from a gala or charity function and she'd be able to grab more than the usual amount. Cheryl had bemoaned more than a few times that it wasn't long after breakfast that her mother reached for the whiskey tumbler, and Betty found herself sympathizing for the girl who had put on such a hard front. She supposed that all of their lives were fractured in one way or another.

But Cheryl had proven her loyalty, and in the span of two months, just in time for Polly's seventh month mark, Cheryl had managed to amass just over two thousand dollars. And by then they all knew there was no more waiting, it had to happen now.

And so on the quiet Saturday morning, long before her parents would ever wake up, Betty crept quietly down the stairs and stole the keys to her mother's car, leaving a note behind that said she'd be back the following day and that she could call the cops if she wanted but it was sure to look bad on the Cooper family name, one daughter pregnant out of wedlock and the other resorting to theft and skipping town. It hadn't been her smartest idea, to blackmail her mother, but it needed to be done for Polly. If her parents weren't going to step up to the plate and save Polly, Betty would do it on her own.

But she didn't need to do it on her own. Jughead had been there for her the whole time, stalwart and trusty he was as always her greatest ally and companion. There was no shortage of drama going on in his life, he still had FP to worry about, and was still crashing temporarily at the Archie's. He'd moved out of Archie's room and into the basement, it had been the first time in a long time that he had an entire room to call his own.

But in spite of everything being Betty's neighbor also proved to be useful, on the nights when they both weren't too tired and too stressed to play at being normal teenagers Jughead found himself scaling the ladder into Betty's bedroom to keep her up for an entirely different reason. She loved hearing his muted laughs and whispers under the covers of her comforter, the two of them sneaking kisses and hiding groans into the heated skin of their necks. Hands that were usually stationary had become adventurous and roaming and Betty could never get over the feel of his hands on the bare skin of her back.

But time was never on their side, and more often than not before things could get too heated a door would open or she'd hear her mother shifting around downstairs and she'd send Jughead home before the fury of Alice Cooper could set upon them.

Finding Jughead's eyes in the rearview mirror she sees him smile lightly at her. It is one of their private looks, one they can share when they know that no one is watching.

"We're almost there." Polly says, sitting up straighter in her seat.

It is nearing mid-afternoon, and Betty sees the mountains open up in front of her.

By the time Betty pulls into the long, winding driveway she begins to feel the dread pool in the pit of her stomach. She knows that this was the intent the entire time, to get Polly to safety, get Polly away from the cloying, baby-snatching hands of her parents and the Blossoms.

But now that the moment is finally here, Betty isn't sure if she is able to let go of the sister she has fought so hard to protect.

The blue house sits perkily in the background and Betty puts the car in park. Polly slips out of the car, holding her large stomach protectively as Jughead moves to grab her suitcase from the trunk.

"Hi there!" A woman shouts, emerging from the house. Polly waves and moves towards her. She is a kind-looking woman, perhaps in her late forties, with streaks of white peppered gracefully in her red hair.

She looks eerily similar to Penelope Blossom, but without the evil step-mother vibe.

Staring up at the two women embracing Betty feels Jughead move beside her. His hand comes up and gently presses against her shoulder and she looks over at him.

He knows she is trying hard to be brave, but the fear is shining bright in her eyes and he wants to tell her it's okay to feel scared and sad when saying goodbye to a person you love. God only knows he has done it before.

But all she does is lean against him briefly before trudging up to the house.

The woman, whose name Betty learns is Cecilia, gives them a tour of the house and shows them where Polly will stay. It's a beautiful home, filled with natural light, and there is a garden in the backyard. Her room is large and there is already a crib and a layette all laid out.

"Isn't it wonderful here Betty?" Polly asks, relief evident on her face and Betty smiles genuinely at her. Happy that her sister is happy.

"It is. Cecilia seems like a nice woman, I'm glad that she can help you. I wish I could do more."

"Hey!" Polly interrupts, grabbing onto her hands tightly, "I wouldn't have been able to do any of this without you. I wouldn't. You've saved our lives Betty Cooper. You're the best sister a girl could have."

A few tears slip from Betty's eyes as she pulls Polly to her, hugging her close, careful of the bump in between them. She presses her face into Polly's shoulder and dreads the inevitable goodbye she knows is coming.

Betty pulls back, "You'll call if you need anything right?"

Polly nods, tears running freely down her face, "Of course. I'll call you even if I don't need anything. I can't thank you enough Betty, what you did, what you're doing for us."

Shaking her head lightly, Betty blinks away the tears that threaten to fall, trying to put on a brave face for her sister, "I'd do it again in a heartbeat, Pol, whatever you guys need. Listen, though, if you're gonna call, do it at Archie's house, okay? I already asked him, he said it was fine. I just don't know how safe it's gonna be to call the house for the next little while."

Nodding solemnly, Polly grabs Betty's hands in between her own, "Are you gonna be okay? What about mom and dad-"

Betty cut her off, "Don't worry about that, I'll manage, I always do. There's nothing they can do now to scare me. Though I'm sure they'll try."

The two girls manage a light-hearted laugh at that, both knowing their mother's habits when it comes to trying to control the Cooper girls.

Inevitably, it is time to say goodbye and she and Jughead have a long drive back before they face the firing squad.

"I love you." Polly said.

Smiling sadly Betty hugs her close one last time.

"I love you too. Always."

She let go of her sister and watches Jughead step up next and hug her goodbye.

Polly whisper something into Jughead's ear before he nods and lets her go, telling her to be well and call if she needs anything.

Grabbing her hand he pulls her away and Betty looks over her shoulder and waves goodbye one last time to Polly.

Standing near the car at the end of the driveway Betty tries not to feel sad as Jughead embraces her, his arms providing a solid comforting weight as he wraps them around her waist. Tucking her face in and breathing in the scent of his neck Betty lets loose a few tears.

Pressing his cheek to the top of her head Jughead runs his hands up and down her back in soothing strokes, letting her take a much needed break from keeping things together.

"Are you alright?" He asks tentatively.

Pulling back and drying her eyes Betty stared up into his eyes, smiling lightly at him.

"I'll be fine. It's just hard to say goodbye."

Nodding solemnly Jughead cradles her head between his hands, "It's not goodbye forever Betty. Just temporarily."

His eyes shine with concern for her and once again Betty feels the wind knocked out of her at the man in front of her and his seemingly endless reserve of patience and kindness. She can think of no one else she would rather have at her side, and she knows that he would follow her to the end of the world and back again. The same as she would for him.

There is no denying she loves him. Will perhaps love him forever if he'll let her.

Betty can only blink away the tears that pop up again for an altogether different reason and she leans up on her toes and presses her lips against his. They are soft and pliant against hers, content to let the kiss remain chaste as she grips his lean shoulders.

"Thank you, Jughead. For being here, with me. I don't think I could have done this without you."

His smile is soft as he pushes a lock of hair behind her ear.

"You could have, Betty. You're so much stronger than you give yourself credit for."

It is her solid belief that his unwavering faith in her is the real reason she is able to remain as strong as she is. She is unshakable and unstoppable so long as he is at her side.

"Come on." He murmurs. "It's getting late, we should hit the road. Want me to drive?"  
Closing her eyes briefly, Betty nods and hands him the keys.

There is something primal and comforting about watching Jughead drive down the highway in the late afternoon sun. He has pushed up the sleeves of his sweater and drives confidently with one hand resting at the top of the wheel.

His forearms are tanned and strong and Betty finds herself casting quick glances at them from her position in the passenger seat.

The radio plays a tune she doesn't recognize and his fingers tap out a rhythm against the steering wheel and Betty realizes she doesn't want to go home. Not just yet.

They haven't been on the road long, they still have a good seven hours to go before they reach Riverdale, and Betty wants to delay their homecoming for as long as she is able.

She told her mother she would return the car on Sunday, and it is only Saturday afternoon.

The buzzing of her phone startles Betty out of her reverie and she pulls out her phone only to see her mother's name emblazoned on her phone once again.

She sees Jughead out of the corner of her eyes cast a dark glance in her direction.

"Is it the wraith?"

He asks, and Betty can't help herself and lets loose an airy chuckle.

"Yeah." She mutters, "I suppose I should submit to the inevitable."

Letting loose a dark sigh she answers the phone.

"Hello Mother."

"Elizabeth Cooper!" The voice screams on the other end and Betty grimaces and holds the phone away from her ear. She hears Jughead sigh beside her and reach for her hand, lacing their fingers together. The feel of his hand sure and firm in hers is all the courage that Betty needs.

"-Where do you think you get off, young lady! Stealing my car! Taking your sister! Where have you taken her Betty? Tell me! Where have you taken her?"

Betty looks out the window at the beautiful California landscape in front of her and watches the sky start to turn pink at the edges.

"I'm not going to tell you that Mom. You have to know I'm not going to tell you that. Not until you and everyone else can see that Polly and her baby are not pawns for you to use in whatever sick and twisted game you're playing."

Alice Cooper's heavy breathing is all she knows for a beat until her mother's voice is back on the line, malicious and cruel.

"You think you know what you are doing but you are a child, Betty. You have no idea what's actually going on, you can't play pretend in a game meant for adults! This isn't some fucking fantasy!"

Her words are heavy and Betty knows they are meant to sting, but she knows in her heart of hearts that her mother is wrong. She is not a child, she grew up the second she found out her parent's had kept her pregnant sister locked up in an institution and made her wear a coat of lies and pretend it was the truth.

But Betty doesn't want to negotiate the truth anymore with Alice Cooper, she will take her punishment and weather the storm. Nothing else needs to be said.

"I'll have the car back tomorrow Mom. We can talk then."

And she hangs up the phone.

Jughead squeezes her hand and Betty looks over at him, his brow furrowed and face dark.

"Are you okay?" He asks.

"I'm okay." Betty nods, "I wonder how long I'll be grounded for. Although she might go full Rapunzel and lock me in a tower. It's a good thing my hair is blonde."

He smirks next to her and his face no longer looks troubled and grim. He wears that look too often these days, he has his own burdens to bear and Betty feels guilty for making him shoulder her own as well.

"Hair's not long enough for me to climb up though."

Shrugging lightly Betty laughs.

"Guess we'll just have to keep using the ladder."

They drive for a few more hours before their hunger compels them to pull off the highway and find the nearest diner and park the car. It doesn't have the charm and nostalgia of Pop Tate's but it's open and contains a hot meal and they both decide it will have to suffice.

He sits next to her in the booth instead of across from her and Betty leans against his shoulder, feeling sluggish and sleepy, as though she were moving underwater.

Her mind has been consumed with thoughts for months of getting Polly to California, getting her and the baby to safety. There have been many nearly sleepless nights and days driven by coffee and granola bars and barely enough energy to function all to get where they are now.

Betty feels a special kind of weightless. She knows there will be endless fights waiting for her once she gets home but for now she is happy and tired and grateful all at once.

"What can I get you kids?"

Looking up from the menu she hasn't really been studying Betty leans more of her weight on Jughead, prompting him to throw his arm behind her on top of the leather of the booth. It makes her feel safe and warm, the comforting smell of his soap and sheepskin coat enveloping her.

"I'll have a burger and fries, and a coke. Betts?"

Betty shakes her head to clear her thoughts and stares up at the aging waitress with a kind smile.

"I'll just have a BLT, thanks."

The waitress writes down their orders and disappears with a scurry and Jughead turns his attention to Betty. His eyes rove over her face, as if checking for marks and Betty grabs onto the front of his coat and plays with the buttons there.

He doesn't ask her anything, and she doesn't feel the need to fill the silence. They are both content to let their eyes do the talking.

His hand comes up to cup her face and Betty leans in, feeling buoyed by his touch.

The light smile she gives him must tell him everything he needs to know as he smiles back at her and leans down to kiss her. It is just a press of his lips against hers, but it makes her heart race all the same. When she feels his tongue on her bottom lip she doesn't hesitate to open up to him, slipping her hand up to the back of his neck and playing with the fine hairs she finds there.

It is only when they hear the sound of a throat clearing that they pull away and smile guiltily up at the waitress holding their food. She only smiles at them, mutters something about 'young love' before she leaves them in peace.

Betty glances at him slyly before they both tuck into their food, both of them ravenous after the stressful day's events.

When they are both done eating he tosses his napkin on the plate and turns to her.

"We should get going, it's still a long drive back." He suggests and Betty reaches out and places her hand on his elbow to get him to look at her.

"It's late, Juggie. We're both tired. There's a motel just up the road. Why don't we just stay there for the night?"

She can see the shock and surprise on his face at her suggestion, it makes her cheeks flush.

"I mean -" He stutters and Betty finds herself grinning at him, Jughead, Riverdale's resident writer, at a loss for words.

"-yeah, well, it's just that I don't think legally two sixteen year olds can just rent a room. We're in California, not the backwoods of Arkansas."

Betty lifts a shoulder and tilts her head in the way that he has come to associate with her having a few tricks up her sleeve.

Opening her purse she pulls out her wallet and hands him the license she has stowed inside.

"Polly gave it to me for safekeeping. Didn't want anyone to stumble upon it, just in case. She's eighteen."

Eyebrows flashing upwards Jughead hands her back the license.

"Alright, then, let's go."

The parking lot of the motel they pull into looks as though it has been around since the invention of sliced bread and Betty wonders if the situation they've gotten themselves into is more Hitchcock or Kubrick but decides not to dwell on it. There is a 'Vacancy' sign lit up and that is all that matters to Betty.

She knows that Jughead is capable of driving back to Riverdale until the wee hours of the morning but her desires are selfish, and she wants to indulge in the fantasy that it is just the two of them for a bit while longer. While she can still ride her high of having Polly in the place she wanted to be.

Betty feels her heart race as they enter the lobby of the motel, the lights flickering above her revealing a bored looking man behind the wooden counter.

"Hi. We need a room for two, please. Just for the night."

The middle-aged man barely blinks as he places a slip of paper in front of her and hands her a pen. Jughead is silent at her side but keeps his facial expression carefully concealed.

Quickly jotting down her information along with the license plate number Betty hands the sheet back and takes the keys from the man's outstretched hand.

"It's forty dollars for the night. Check-out is at eleven. You're in room number eleven."

Before she can make a move for her purse Jughead is placing the money on the counter and grabbing her hand and pulling her away.

"If we get murdered tonight, it's all your fault Betty Cooper."

The room is threadbare, but thankfully clean, Betty notes. A simple double bed is in the middle of the room and a drawer with a TV on top sits on the opposite side.

Placing her purse on the ground Betty watches Jughead awkwardly survey the room before turning around the face her and it hits her that this is the first time they've ever been truly alone together.

They've had moments with each other at school or in her room, while out for walks, or in Pop Tate's but there's always been the possibility of someone barging in or watching them.

But now they are truly in the middle of nowhere with no one around but them. They have, for the first time, the luxury of their own private space.

The thought sends both a thrill of excitement and fear through Betty, and she senses the same thing in Jughead.

Betty is the first to break the silence.

"I'm gonna take a shower, do you need the bathroom?"

He shakes his head before he sits down on the bed and kicks off his shoes.

"No, I'm good. It's all yours."

The hot water feels good on her tense muscles as Betty steps beneath the steady stream of the shower. The water pressure is surprisingly strong for a shady motel and she sighs in relief. She can hear the click of the TV turning on in the room beside her and she thinks about Jughead.

If someone had told her a year ago that she would leave her girlish fantasies of dating Archie Andrews behind in the dust in favor of his brooding best friend Jughead Jones she would have thought they were crazy. But he was here with her, and he had stood by her, sleuthing with her, acting in her defense while Archie Andrews worried about the high school talent show.

And things between them lately had been changing, even more than before. What had started off as an innocent romance had become filled with heady gazes and sexual tension. Rubbing the soap all over her body Betty feels her nerves spark at the simple touch before she turns off the shower and steps out.

She hasn't brought pajamas with her, the intention had been to drop off Polly and drive straight back. She has no choice but to dry off and put her clothes from the day back on. But the shower has relaxed her, she feels more alert and refreshed.

Emerging from the bathroom and finger combing through the tangles in her hair she finds Jughead in a similar position from when she left him. Perched on the edge of the bed with his hands propped up behind him watching the TV his eyes quickly flash to hers.

The air between them is heavy and Betty feels it all at once. But she has nothing to hide from this man who has given her so many pieces of light in her highly fragmented life. It is not wrong to want him, to want to be with him.

They both have a chance at a sliver of happiness, of feeling complete. She has thought it many times before, that her desires are selfish. But not this, this she just wants.

She _wants_.

Pushing himself off the bed Jughead moves slowly to stand in front of her, his hand pushing through her damp hair and she sighs at the contact, closing her eyes briefly before opening them and staring up into his eyes.

He swallows thickly, "Betty." He whispers, and it is so similar to the sound of his voice before their first kiss that she wonders briefly if she is stuck inside a memory.

He wants too. She can tell.

Closing the distance between them Betty places her hands on his chest and kisses him, the air vanishing from her lungs at the contact. Cupping her head and angling her against his mouth they both open to each other. She hears Jughead moan as their tongues tangle and the firm pressure of his full lips vibrate against hers and Betty swears she is in heaven at the taste of him.

They press tightly together until there is no space between them and Jughead drops his hands from her hair and runs them down the course of her back before coming to rest on her backside. Whining softly in the back of her throat Betty feels him dig his hands into the firm flesh he finds there.

It feels impossibly good and Betty wants more. He has miles and miles of skin that she has never touched or explored, the planes of his chest are firm under her hands and she wants to dig her nails in, try and get at his heart.

Gripping the flannel in front of her, Betty begins to slip the buttons through the holes before she is sliding her hands up to his shoulders and forcing the shirt off his shoulders. Breaking his grip on her he allows her to discard it on the ground. But it isn't enough.

Breaking the kiss Betty looks up and grips the bottom of his t-shirt and looks up into his eyes for permission. Nodding slightly, Betty lifts the shirt and Jughead helps her remove it before tossing it across the room, his beanie falling off in the process.

She doesn't think she has ever seen him like this before, looking so open and vulnerable with his hair tousled and head empty of his signature beanie. His chest is strong and broad. There is a dark trail of hair underneath his bellybutton and her fingers ache to follow it.

Placing her hands on his narrow waist Betty moves close and presses her lips against his chest, over his heart.

His hands come up from his sides and grips her neck. Trailing her lips up across his collarbones, up his neck, and under his chin she feels him breathing heavily against her.

Leaning down and pressing his forehead against hers Betty stops to breathe in the same air as him.

"I love you."

The words tumble from his lips like a prayer, and when she pulls back, even though she can see the nervous vulnerability in his eyes she knows he means it.

"I love you, Jughead. So much."

Betty sees his eyes flash with something dark before he is pulling into his arms and slanting his lips over hers in a desperate, passionate pursuit. He is stealing the breath away from her and she doesn't ask for him to give it back.

Grabbing the hem of her shirt Jughead lifts it over her head. She has not put her bra back on after her shower and she stands before him completely bare from the waist up.

He lets loose a shaky sigh as he looks at her. With one hand on the back of her neck and the other on her stomach he brings their lips together again and Betty opens up her mouth to him again as he trails his hand up to her breast.

Her heart stutters in her chest and she feels a twinge in her groin when his hand fully envelops her breast. They both moan into each other's mouth as he tests the weight of her in his palm. Her back arches against him and pushes herself more fully into his hand.

She can feel him, against her hip, and her heart races as she feels the moisture gather in between her legs.

It is all so new, she has no idea how to be touched or how to touch, all she knows is that she wants to touch him and be touched by him. So she lets herself be guided by intuition.

Her hands are roaming the broad length of his back while he places open-mouthed kisses on her neck, sucking marks onto the skin there when his hands move down to the button on her jeans.

Her hands pause on his back as he breathes into the heat of her neck and the question lingers between them.

He pulls away slowly and looks into her eyes before he lets out a sardonic chuckle. The heat between them dissipating for a moment.

"I have no idea what I'm doing."

Sliding her hands into his hair she lets her nails scratch against his scalp in a soothing motion before she grins at him.

"Me neither. But I like it. I want you to keep going, if you do too. We can figure it out together."

He nods once, his face serious, before he unbuttons her jeans and pulls down the zipper. The sound filling the space of the quiet room. Betty's chest heaves as she helps him out of her jeans. He stares at the long length of her legs and the modest dark blue bikini cut of her underwear before he steps closer to her, placing his hands on her hips.

"You're so beautiful." He mutters, and Betty feels her heart race.

Betty gathers her courage and unbuttons his jeans, looking up at him as he swallows thickly, adam's apple bobbing as she unzips his jeans. Her hands brush against his erection and he groans against her temple, hands grabbing onto her ass as he pulls the bottom half of their bodies together.

The fire that Betty feels spreading through her body intensifies as she pulls Jughead down to her and attaches her lips to his in a frenzied manner, unable to stop touching him, unable to get enough of his skin against her as their torsos meet for the first time.

They are both unable to prevent the downright sinister noises that escapes their lips at the feel of their bodies connecting. Betty can only wrap her arms around his muscular back and let him walk her back towards the bed.

When she feels the back of her knees hit the edge of the bed Betty disentangles herself from his loving grip and sits down on the bed and pushes herself back. She keeps her eyes on him the entire time, she enjoys watching the dark, lustful look in his eyes blossom and bloom.

She likes knowing that she is responsible for it.

Jughead's knee comes up on the bed and he is chasing after her. She lies back against the bed and enjoys the feel of his long limbs tangling with hers. Somehow, in spite of the lack of physical activity, he is all sinew and strength.

Her legs instinctively fall open and he settles himself between them. Her legs tangle with his and she can feel his erection pressed against her. He has one forearm on the bed, propping himself up against her while the other comes up to cup her cheek.

His voice is deep and strained when he speaks.

"Are you sure Betty?"

She knows that they are both turned on right now, there is no getting around the desire she feels pooling in her lower stomach. But there is also fear too, she can't deny that. But Betty knows that if she asked him, he would stop. He wouldn't be mad, or bitter. They would put on their clothes and cuddle up and he would still love her and want whatever she wanted and vice versa.

She wants to take this step with him. After everything they've been through together. She wants him to be her first.

"I'm sure about you, Jughead."

He releases a shaky breath, like it is everything he needs to hear before he leans down and presses them together. Betty lets out a groan at the feeling of his weight on top of her. Her mouth slants against his and their tongues duel and dance deliciously. He can't help himself as he grinds them together, his hips moving against hers, his hand moving down against her backside, pressing her firmly against him.

It's a move that has Betty seeing stars, as she pulls away from his lips and groans against the heat of his neck. Her hips move against him, pushing up as he angles himself down and he grunts against her collarbone where he is sucking marks onto her skin.

She's never felt this with him before, the chaotic structure of their lives prevents them from it. Her parents, schoolwork, his living with Archie. They are all obstacles to their being together. But now that they are able, she finds she is wholly selfish, wanting to keep them like this forever.

His hand drifts from her backside to her hip and Betty leans into the touch. She combs her fingers through his hair as he lifts his head in question, asking for permission. Betty begins to pant as she closes her eyes and nods vigorously against him.

It is all the answer he needs as he slips his fingers underneath the elastic of her underwear. His fingers move past her curls until they stop at the wetness gathered between her thighs.

Letting out a throaty moan at the feeling of his fingers on her Betty's fingers tighten in Jughead's hair, tugging at the raven strands.

She hears him let out an uncharacteristic curse at the slick feeling of her, knowing he caused it, before he drags his fingers up and circle around her most sensitive spot.

Betty cannot help herself and lets out a strangled moan before her hips begin to move on their own.

"Juggie." She murmurs, unable to believe the sensations running through her body. It is enough to make her nerves feel like they have been set on fire. Moving her hands from his hair to his back Betty grabs on for dear life as his fingers bring her closer and closer to a precipice she wants to jump off of.

Jughead cannot believe the image in front of him, chest heaving, eyes shut and head thrown back against the pillow Betty is an image of lust and passion and she is coming apart because of him. He cannot ignore her siren song and lowers his head against her chest, taking one dark pink nipple into his mouth and suckling.

He groans around her nipple when she sucks in a startled gasp at the sensation and digs her nails into the skin of his back. His fingers draw tighter and tighter circles against her until she is panting and whining and making desperate noises into his ear. It is nearly enough to drive him mad.

When he moves to pay attention to the other neglected nipple and sucks on the darkened areola he lets his teeth graze over it and it's then that Betty makes a high keening noise in the back of her throat. Her thighs clench over his hand as she draws in a breath and her head falls back against the pillow.

Pulling his head back up he stares at her in amazement as she pants, her eyes half-open, looking at him, a sleepy smile playing around her lips.

He licks his dry lips and she pulls him into a soft kiss, sighing into his mouth.

He pulls back and stares down at her.

"Was it good?"

Letting out a breathy chuckle Betty pulls him down on top of her.

"Yeah. It was really good. You sure it's your first time Forsythe?"

He furrows his brow at her use of his name before shaking his head.

"You know I'd tell you if it wasn't."

Betty's eyes soften as she regards him.

"I know you would Jug. I know you."

Jughead can feel his heart start beating faster as he looks down at her. The first girl he's ever loved, the only girl he hopes to ever love.

The air shifts again from something lighter to one charged with sexual tension. Jughead begins to pant slightly as he stares down at her lips and brings them together once more. Moaning into his mouth Betty's legs crawl up from beside him, feeling his erection pressed against her inner thigh. In a bold move she brings her hand down to his black briefs and passes her hand along the front of him, feeling him twitch and a moan get caught in the back of Jughead's throat.

Slipping her hand beneath the elastic band she grips him in her hand and starts a tentative movement up and down. Panting heavily against her lips Jughead is unable to kiss her as she makes his eyes blur.

She can feel him, thick and long, and licks her lips at the thought of him hard and moaning because of her.

But she suddenly feels him pull back and sit back up on his haunches.

"-Is something wrong?" She asks, worried she has pushed him too much. But he only shakes his head and leans down to grip her underwear in his hands.

"Can I take this off?" His eyes are wild with lust and Betty leans back and lifts her hips in response, helping him remove the offending garment.

Naked and completely exposed Jughead stares at her as if she is something precious, something rare. He removes his own briefs and Betty stares at him for the first time, starting at the dark happy trail and moving down to the perfect pink length of him.

"Come 'ere." She murmurs and Jughead is happy to comply, fitting himself in between her legs for the first time without clothing. The pair groan at the contact and Betty wraps her arms around him tighter. Legs spreading wider to accommodate him Betty cannot believe the heavenly feel of him pressed against her slickness.

"Shit." She hears Jughead say, "I don't have anything."

"It's okay." Betty is quick to reassure him, "I'm on the pill."

He nods and lines himself up against her, staring into her eyes he looks for signs of hesitation but only sees her love and lust fuelled eyes staring back at him.

With a groan Jughead pushes into her heavenly heat, her tight walls gripping him and he drops his head to her chest as she inhales heavily. He stills for a moment, allowing her to adjust to him before he picks up his head.

"Are you okay?"

She nods her head before biting her lip and looking up at him. It isn't particularly painful, just uncomfortable as she adjusts to his size.

She pulls him down into a heated kiss as he groans and pulls out before pushing back in, starting a gentle rhythm. Betty feels him steal her breath away again as the gentle rocking motion fills her with a fire she's never felt before.

It is just the two of them in that small motel room, and Betty throws her head back against the pillow as Jughead's motions become more confident. His lips assault her neck with kisses and bites and she knows tomorrow she will be covered in marks from his passionate assault.

His thrusts begin to pick up in tempo and Betty can feel the moans pouring from her, he is strong and sure inside of her and Betty is certain that she can never be without him. Not ever. Not with the way he looks at her as his hips angle and thrust particularly deep. Not when he whispers his affection and devotion into her ear as she grips his shoulders and trembles.

"Oh God, Jughead. Please." She is desperate now, so close to the edge of something terrifying and profound and it is just out of her reach. It should be wrong to feel this good with the man she loves.

"I-I love you. So much." He grits out in response, his hips stuttering and losing their rhythm. They are both close to the edge.

"What do you need?" He asks, his lips barely touching hers.

"I don't know." Betty mumbles, her head shaking back and forth as her chests brushes against his and she sighs, throwing her head back against the pillow at the onslaught of pleasure it brings her.

"Touch me, please. Please." She begs.

Jughead can't take his eyes off of her as she shakes and moans beneath him. She is a goddess in her own right. He grips the back of her neck with one hand while the other snakes between them. Touching her breasts he squeezes and fondles them before dropping his lips and sucking the tender flesh into his mouth, his hips continue to piston into her wet heat and the sounds she makes are so mouth-wateringly sinful he groans around the areola in between his lips.

But he needs to look at her, he picks up his head as his hand seeks out the bundle of nerves above where they are connected and draws tight circles around them like before and he can sense the change in her.

"Look at me." He demands, anxious to see her eyes, to know that she is there with him.

Her face looks as though she is in pain even though he knows she is far from it. Her brow furrowed and her mouth open she is wanton. Her cries gaining in volume.

With one last deep thrust she is falling apart around him, he feels her clench around him and he cries out her name as their orgasm pushes them both over the edge of oblivion.

Dropping onto her chest he hears her shaky breath and lingering moans as she comes down from her high. Her hands sneak into his hair and she pushes back the sweaty locks from his forehead before kissing it.

Eyes closed tight he tries to catch his breath, still feeling as though he is floating.

It would be very easy for him to fall asleep like this but he worries that he is crushing her, and so he pulls out of her and collapses on the bed next to her.

She is quick to pull herself into his arms and he wraps them around her as she sprawls out against his chest.

"That was…" Betty starts, still out of breath.

"Amazing. Incredible. Mind-blowing. Sublime." He supplies with a lazy grin on his face.

Pressing her face into his chest he feels the vibrations of her giggles and turns to kiss her forehead.

Lifting her head he stares down at her. He is not sure what she sees in him, he is a bit of a disaster if he's honest with himself. But she helps him remember who he is, and who he wants to be. And he does the same for her. Or at the very least he tries to.

His face is serious and Betty lifts a hand to smoothe out the furrow in between his brows.

"What's going on in that brain of yours?"

He shakes his head, the same way she had done to him outside of his father's trailer when they went to confront FP about Jason's involvement in the Serpent's drug ring.

"I love you, Betty Cooper. I don't think I'll ever stop loving you."

Her eyes mist over as she leans up and presses her lips against his, taking his bottom lip in between hers gently.

"I love you too. Please, don't ever let me go, okay?"

He nods and gathers her closer in his arms. He knows he never will. If someone has to go, he knows it will have to be her. He is incapable of making that decision. She will always be the light to his darkness, even when she can't be the light.

Betty pulls him impossibly closer as she begins to drift off to sleep. Tomorrow they will wake up and begin the long drive back to Riverdale. Back to the judgment of their parents, and the Sheriff. Back to the town filled with dilemma and drama and endless accusations. It is almost an insufferable place to be, and she knows it won't be easy.

But so long as she has him by her side, she knows they are capable of overcoming anything.


End file.
